Fuel control means for internal combustion engines



Nov. 19, 1957 w. c. EBERLINE 2,813,540

FUEL CONTROL MEANS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed July 1, 1953 2; F/ cm/ INVENTOR. FIG. 5 W/u. IAM C [BEEL/NE ATTOAIVEVS FUEL CONTROL MEANS FQR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES William C. Eberline, Fenton, Mich.

Application July 1, 1953, Serial No. 365,427

6 Claims. (Cl. 137-479) This invention relates to fuel control means for internal combustion engines, and it has to do particularly with a type of governor means which may be formed as a part of or which may be associated with a. carburetor.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple mechanismwhich may be considered to be a governor for controlling the flow of fuel to an internal combustion engine in such a manner as to limit the speed of operation of the engine. This mechanism takes the form of controlling elementspositioned in a conduit or passage which conveys the fuel mixture as it is flowing to the engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carburetor especially useful with engines of the relatively small utility type where the carburetor is positioned below the fuel. tank so that there is a gravity flow of fuel to the carburetor. In. this latter connection the carburetor has embodied in its construction, a controlling valve to provide a definite shut off for the fuel during periods when the engine is not in. use.

The invention is demonstrated in the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a view largely in side elevation, with some parts in section, illustrating principally the speed controlling governor arrangement.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken on line 22 of Fig. 1 showing some of the carburetor construction and illustrating the shut off valve.

Fig. 3. is an enlarged sectional View showing the shut off valve in open position.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken. substantially on line 4l-4 of Fig- 1 illustrating some of the speed governor structure.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged View, partly in section of the governor.

The carburetor shown herein is one of a type for use with a relatively small. internal combustion engine, as may be used on various utility machines, such as lawn mowers, small or hand tractors, and in stationary installations. Ithas a body 1 arranged to be connected to air supply means indicated by a conduit 2 and it is preferably provided with a choke valve 3. The body is formed with a passage 5 therethrough having a venturi portion and an outlet passage 6, in which is positioned a throttle valve '7 operable by. suitable means attached to the axis. pin or pintle 9.

Asshown in Fig. 2, the body 1 is: provided with a bowl 12 which may be held in position by a screw 13 threaded into a central depending extension 14 on the body 1 and in the bowl is afloat 15 pivotally mounted as at 16.

The body has a portion 17 with a passageway I3 adapted to receive a coupling 19 for connection to a fuel supply pipe 23. Diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 2 is a fuel tank 21 demonstrating how the fuel tank may be positioned above the carburetor for gravity flow of the fuel.

Positioned in a bore in the body 1, and preferably ball of nylon has been found to threaded therein, is a fuel inlet fitting 25 with an inlet port 26. A valve member 27 rests upon the float and When there is suficient fuel in the bowl the float rises and the valve member 27, which is of the needle type, closes the inlet port 26. A shut off valve takes the form of a plunger member 3@ with a head 31, and a coil spring 32 reacts on the body 1 and acts upon the head to normally close the port 26. The port is closed by a seal member 34 preferably made of a plastic substance, such as neoprene. The member 36 is slidable in the wall of the body, the same passing through a suitable bushing 36 and on its exposed end is an operating element with a finger piece it) and wings ll pivotally mounted to the member 3%) as at 42. These wings have relatively flat surfaces 43 and curved surfaces 44. In the position shown in Fig. 2, the spring 32 urges the shut off valve downwardly to closed position at which time the sealing member 34 seats upon the end of the member 25 and closes the port 26. Thus, in periods of non-use the shut off valve effectively closes the port 26 and prevents gravity flow of fuel from the tanlrZIl. When the engine is to be used the member ltl may be shifted tothe position shown in Fig. 3. The flat surfaces 43 rest upon the surface 4-5 of the body It and the surfaces 44 act as cams to thus elevate the member 30 and open the port 26.

The bowl has a suitable vent provided by passages 50 and a fuel passage '51 which extends into the interior passage 52 of the extension 14. Positioned in the passage 14 isv a hollow fitting 53 with a jet end 54 opening into the passage 5. This supplies fuel to the air stream in passage 5 for operating purposes. The body may have another passage 56 extending upwardly from the passage 52 and which leads to a passage 57 which extends into the passage 5 (not shown) for supplying fuel for idling purposes.

The governor shown herein is in the form of an insert, disposed in a fuel passage 6 which may be an extension of the carburetor body or a separate piece. There is a ring like part 60 disposed in the passage and it may be abutted against an internal shoulder 61 and held by a screw 62. The engine or engine manifold is shown at 63. The member at is hollow and it has a supporting cage structure 65 which supports an extension 66 in the form of a cylinder.

Mounted in the cylinder 66 is what may be termed a piston 68 acted upon by a coil spring 69. On the projecting end of this piston is a metering head 70. The piston is formed with a shoulder 71 spaced from the head and a stop member 72 which may be in the form of a screw is positioned to engage the head and shoulder to limit the movement.

Mounted in the end of the cylinder is a member 74 which may be threaded into position and provided with a port 75. A check valve 76 advantageously in the form of a ball is acted upon by a spring 7'7 and which reacts against a member 73$ threaded into the end of the member 74 which is provided with a port 7%. The spring 69 re acts against the member 74. The structure provides a dash pot action as will presently be seen audit is preferred that the check valve 76 be of light material. A

be satisfactory.

the piston and metering Fig. 5 with the shoulder In the normal static position, head is projected as shown in 71 abutting the stop 72;. If the metering member and piston be pushed to the right as Fig. 5 is viewed, it moves easily against the action of the spring 69 and fluid in the cylinder escapes through the check valve and port '79. Upon release of force urging the metering member to the right the spring 69 tends to return the metering member to its extended position but this motion is checked and decelerated because the check valve closes the port 75 and in order for the metering member to move to open position, air must enter the cylinder. The arrangement preferably is that such air enters between the piston and cylinder, the piston es having a relatively loose fit in the cylinder for this purpose.

When the engine is in operation, there is a resultant reduction of pressure on the downstream side of the governor. The pressure on the upstream side of the governor is atmospheric, less some small reduction due to friction of the flow of air from the ambient atmosphere and this differential acts upon the metering member. At adequate engine speed the head '70 moves toward the interior of the ring member 60. During the operation of the engine, the member 70 is not only under the influence of differential pressures, it is also under the influence of the velocity of the fuel mixture passing therethrough.

As engine speeds increase, the forces on the governing member increase and finally under a maximum condition, the head 70 will move to the right and engage the stop pin 72. In this position, all fuel entering the engine passes through the annular passage as between the head 70 and the internal surface of the member 60. Thus it will be seen that the engine is thus governed.

The governor with all its parts is to be selected as to size and capacity with reference to the engine with which it is to be used. For example, an engine may be referred to which may, with wide open throttle, operate at about 7000 R. P. M. The governor may be selected for holding the engine down to about 4000 R. P. M. with wide open throttle. At the same time, however, it must be remembered that the governor is to supply adequate fuel for maximum torque of the engine which may be at a speed of about 3,600 R. P. M. Therefore, at this speed, there should be no throttling or governing action exerted by the member 70. And the governor must pass a full supply of fuel for the engine at such speed. Obviously the invention is not limited to this example. While the governor mechanism is shown as a separate subassembly, it may be incorporated directly in the structure of the carburetor body. Being a sub-assembly, however, it may be installed or removed as elected.

The checking action of the dash pot structure is particularly effective with engines which have only one or two cylinders where the intake strokes are separated. Such an engine results in a pulsating condition in the intake passage. For example, in a four-cycle single cylinder engine every fourth stroke is an intake stroke. During the intake stroke, the differential pressures and the velocity influence the governor to governing position. In other Words, the piston and the head '70 move so that the head moves into throttling position. The check valve arrangement prevents the governor from rapid oscillations due to this pulsating condition. During the next three strokes there is no intake and the spring 69 tends to return the member 7'0 to wide open position but the check valve arrangement prevents this. As a result, even with such a pulsating condition in the intake passage, the position of the governor remains relatively steady. Thus, there is a silent operation of the governor.

I claim:

1. A governor structure for an internal combustion engine comprising, a member adapted to be disposed in a fuel supply conduit and being of hollow form for passage of fluid fuel therethrough, said member having an extension of cylinder form having clearance with respect to the said conduit for the passage of fuel, a governing member having a piston portion disposed in the cylinder and a head portion positioned adjacent to and for metering the hollow of said member, spring means acting upon the governing member for holding the head in open position spaced from said member, said governing member being under the influence of differential pressures and fuel mixture velocity, so that under said influences it moves toward metering position with the head moving into the hollow of the member, and means including a check valve associated with the cylinder and arranged for a discharge of fluid from the cylinder as the governing member moves toward metering position and for restricting entrance of fluid into the cylinder as the governing member moves toward open position, whereby to hold the governing member relatively steady under varying impulses of differential pressures and fuel velocity.

2. A governor structure for an internal combustion engine comprising, a member adapted to be disposed in a fuel supply conduit and being of hollow form for the passage of fluid fuel therethrough, said member having an extension of cylinder form disposed lengthwise in and spaced from the conduit for the passage of fuel, a governing member having a piston portion disposed in the cylinder and having a head portion positioned adjacent to and for metering the hollow of said member, said governing member being shiftable lengthwise of the cylinder, spring means acting upon the governor to normally position the governing member with the metering head spaced from the said member, said governing member being under the influence of differential pressures and fuel mixture velocity and movable under said influences toward metering position with the head moving into metering position with respect to the hollow of said member, and means including a check valve associated with the cylinder for facilitating exhaust of fluid from the cylinder when the governing member moves toward metering position, and restricting entrance of air into the cylinder as the governing member moves toward open position, whereby to hold the governing member relatively steady under varying impulses of differential pressures and fuel velocity.

3. A governor structure for an internal combustion engine comprising, a member adapted to be disposed in a fuel supply conduit and being of a hollow form for the passage of fluid fuel therethrough, said member having a relatively small extension of cylinder form disposed lengthwise in the conduit so that fuel may flow past the extension, a governing member having a piston portion disposed in the cylinder and having a head portion positioned for metering the hollow of said member, said governing member being shiftable lengthwise of the cylinder, spring means acting upon the governor to normally position the governing member with the metering head spaced from the said member, said governing member being un der the influence of differential pressures and fuel mixture velocity and movable under said influences toward metering position with the head moving into metering position with respect to the hollow of said member, the cross dimensions of the head being less than that of the hollow of the member whereby in full metering position fuel flows through an annular space between the head and the inner walls of the hollow member, and means including a check valve associated with the cylinder for facilitating exhaust of fluid from the cylinder when the governing member moves toward metering position, and restricting entrance of air into the cylinder as the governing member moves toward open position, whereby to hold the governing member relatively steady under Varying impulses of differential pressures and fuel velocity.

4. The governor structure as recited in claim 1 characterized in that there is a stop on said member positioned to engage elements on the governing member to limit the movements of the governing member and position the same in full open and full throttling positions.

5. In a fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine, conduit means for conducting fuel mixture to an engine, a body member positioned in the conduit means, said body member being of hollow form for the passage of fuel therethrough and having an extension of cylinder form disposed lengthwise of the conduit means and positioned so that fuel may flow past it, a governing member having a piston portion slidably positioned in the cylinder and having a head portion positioned for metering the hollow of said member, spring means for holding the governor with its head remote from the body member in open position, said governing member being under the influence of differential pressures and fuel mixture velocity and arranged to move relative to the body member under said influences toward metering position with the head portion moving toward the body member to meter its hollow portion, and means including a check valve associated with the cylinder and arranged for free exhaust of fluid from the cylinder as the governing member moves toward metering position, and to restrict entrance of fluid into the cylinder as the governing member moves toward open position, whereby to hold the governing member relatively steady under varying impulses of differential pressures and fuel mixture velocity in the conduit means.

6. The fuel supply system as recited in claim 5 characterized in that the head on the governing member has a cross dimension less the interior diameter of the body member so that when in full governing position with the head within the hollow of the body member a circumferential passage is formed for the fuel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,502,476 McCanna et a1 July 22, 1924 1,518,061 Gibford Dec. 2, 1924 1,550,120 Staude Aug. 25, 1925 1,658,547 Aseltine Feb. 7, 1928 1,817,629 Klemm Aug. 4, 1931 1,935,299 Siegert Nov. 14, 1933 2,273,205 Kommer et a1 Feb. 17, 1942 2,371,830 Langdon Mar. 20, 1945 2,401,312 McCarty June 4, 1946 2,663,313 1953 Doyle Dec. 22, 

